


To The Far-off Somewhere

by orphan_account



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-02
Updated: 2014-08-02
Packaged: 2018-02-11 11:48:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2067024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin didn't push, and Makoto wished he would. Just a little bit, to stop the empty silence echoing off the walls.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To The Far-off Somewhere

He wanted to stay a while longer. Behind the door, where he could see him leaning out the window, his back covered with an ill-fitted uniform. Orange catching the ends of his red hair as it fluttered. He couldn't see his eyes. It would've been bright, bright, reflecting the bonfire below. 

His footsteps were too loud. The door rattled as it slid across the floor.

"I don't trust you not to get caught here."

"I trust you guys actually had a good idea for once."

Rin didn't turn towards him, and he probably should get used to this － watching Rin's back.　

"The teachers know you, Rin." Makoto seated himself on the desk nearest to him. "Rei's uniform could only do so much if they saw your face."　

No reply. A sigh, then a chuckle, Makoto looked down at his lap.

"Hey, Makoto." And Makoto sneaked a peek. "It's already autumn."

It suddenly seems so far away, his voice. Blood rushing, pulse loud in his ears, his vision almost went to black. Rin didn't push, and Makoto wished he would. Just a little bit, to stop the empty silence echoing off the walls.

"I'm sorry," he said, barely a whisper.

He heard faint laughter from the school grounds.

"I'm not the one you have to apologise to."

They should've been with the rest of them, around the bonfire, amongst the cheerful chatter. But Rin wouldn't even look at him. In a dark classroom, Makoto found it hard to breathe. The cold autumn air sharp and crisp, every inhale hurt him a little more inside.

It's almost too late.  _There wasn't enough time._  That's why Rin's angry. He knew this. He knew.  _He knew, but－_  

"I'm not that strong." The words choked him. It wasn't quite a sob, but he probably sounded just as pitiful.

"You're not that weak, either!"

_ Ah－ _

Rin finally looked at him him. 

"I don't understand," he said, like it hurt him.  _Like Makoto hurt him._ "What's holding you back?" 

He wanted to walk towards him, to have his hands on his shoulders and tell him,  _'Thank you.'_  

But he didn't. He'd be running away － again － if he did.

_'Thank you for getting angry at me.'_

_'Especially when I can't get angry at myself.'_

Makoto had the hem of his shirt balled tightly in his fists. Maybe actually did cry. It was hard to tell when his chest weighed more than it should, when his head started pounding and his vision blurred and he's  _scared._ His lips parted, but all that passed through them were wavered breaths. 

"Looking at you..." His eyes screwed shut. He didn't know what he's holding back. "...Made me want to try."

"Then why－"

"But I'm probably no good, huh?" Makoto chuckled, hollow. "I wouldn't be able to reach you."

"You're dumb as shit." Rin looked like he thought about it in all but two seconds. "Reaching me or whatever has nothing to do with anything."

"But－"

"I'm happy that I could motivate you." With each thump of his foot against the floor, Rin crossed the distance between them. "But that's as far as it goes."

"Everything else is up to you."

Right in front of him, his back against the light, Rin smiled. Soft and real and  _so close._  Just a centimetre, his hands could reach him. That stretch between them he thought was endless, in that second, disappeared.

"You're not that weak," Rin said again.

_'You can reach that far-off somewhere.'_


End file.
